Berea College awarded $109 million for GEAR UP programs

Partners for Education at Berea College has been awarded two Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grants worth a combined $109,177,600 to serve students in Appalachian Kentucky. The United States Department of Education grants will provide 19,496 students in 19 counties with an array of services aligned to accomplish four overarching goals: lift educational aspirations, build academic skills, connect academics to college and career, and engage parents as partners.

The grants, referred to as GEAR UP: SOAR and GEAR UP: Opportunity, will build upon successes Partners for Education has had in the past braiding different research based programs together, and will continue the work started by former GEAR UP grants at Berea College. GEAR UP: SOAR will serve Bell, Breathitt, Harlan, Perry, Knott, and Whitley counties, and GEAR UP: Opportunity will serve Clay, Estill, Garrard, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lee, Leslie, Madison, Owsley, Powell, Pulaski, and Rockcastle counties.

Students will receive services from multiple programs designed to assess and improve academic skills. By monitoring grades, attendance, incidence of suspensions and other factors, staff will be able to assess each students’ educational needs. Mentors will then work directly with students to improve challenge areas. Students will also be assessed by college and career readiness performance targets­—test scores that indicate if a student is on track to be “college ready” by the time they finish high school. After assessment, services will be tailored to address the preparation gaps. Students will also build academic skills and confidence through the National Math Science Initiative’s advanced placement training incentive program which uses the College Board’s Advanced Placement curriculum and exam as a framework to provide students with materials to study and opportunities to practice for AP tests.

Programs like the Governors Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (GCIPL) will engage parents and caretakers in their students’ education. The programs create pathways for parents and caretakers to become more informed and involved in school, so they can be resourceful agents of change. Parents and caretakers also learn about college admission processes and how to apply for financial aid, so they can help guide their students.

Partners for Education brings a strong record of implementing GEAR UP grants to the region. “We have provided GEAR UP services in Appalachia since the program’s inception in 1999. During the past 19 years, we have invested in sustainable strategies and best practices proven to mitigate low graduation rates and college completion,” says Sara White, director of programs at Partners for Education. “This past spring, high schools in our existing service region reported higher ACT scores and college going rates for their senior classes. We are excited to continue the work we’ve been doing for almost two decades in eastern Kentucky!”

“With federal funding and district in-kind commitments to match, we have a partnered investment of over $30,000,000 each year to provide resources for families, communities and schools. Our funding is designed to increase high school graduation rates and to inspire continuing education as a life-long pursuit,” says Kristen Sutherland, associate director for GEAR UP at Partners for Education. “I’m excited to be involved with such a strong initiative that provides resources to our communities spanning southern and eastern Kentucky.”

Partners for Education at Berea College uses a place based, student focused approach to improve educational outcomes in Appalachian Kentucky. By braiding services and aligning federal, state and private funding streams, Partners for Education works to ensure all Appalachian students succeed at school.